Poaching is when people illegally hunt, kill, or capture wild animals. It is fueled by the illegal trade in exotic pets and wild animal parts, including tiger pelts, rhino horns and pangolin scales. Poaching is estimated to be a multi-billion dollar business worldwide, capable of driving the most impacted species towards extinction. It can also affect the biodiversity of entire ecosystems when keystone species are taken at unsustainable levels.
To help save targeted species, conservationists employ a number of preventative measures. These include education and awareness campaigns, strengthening legal protections for endangered species, increased security at game reserves, and targeted deterrent campaigns like rhino dehorning.